- The baritone voice type
has a beautiful, rich timbre, that tenors like me can only dream of. Why is it, then, that so many men with a baritone voice spend their time wishing they could sing high like tenors? Surely there's more to
being a great singer than uber-high notes. Well, there is, and
this video is all about getting the most out
of the baritone voice. If you're a baritone,
then I highly recommend watching this video to the very end. - [Announcer] ♫ Sound check. ♫ Check one, check two. - Good day there. My name is Dr. Dan, and I'm a contemporary singing voice specialist. It's my passion in life
to help you realize the full potential of your singing voice. But you'll never realize that potential if you're constantly
trying to be something or someone that you're not. With over 20 years of teaching experience, it's been my observation
that, for males at least, much of their time when seeking to develop their singing is
spent in trying to sing outside the anatomical
boundaries of their voice. The baritone voice, as
a voice classification, wasn't formally recognized until the beginning of the 19th century. Dr. Matthew Hawk observes that "During the first two
centuries of opera history, baritones were not labeled as such and were simply known as 'basses.' All bass roles, regardless
of range and tessitura, were lumped together in one category." Now, I think this is an
interesting and helpful point when discussing voice classification in general and baritones
more specifically, because I'm never keen to put
any voice in a strict box. Sure, I've done videos
on this channel before where we've discussed voice types, but I'm always keen for us to be general when applying the information, especially when it comes
to contemporary singing. This video has come about because I regularly receive comments and questions on the Voice Essentials channel
about the baritone voice. It seems, at least to me,
that there are many guys dissatisfied with their
anatomical lot in life, and I don't believe it
needs to be that way. And no, I'm not just saying that because I'm a tenor with a voice that can reach really high notes. Personally, I often listen to baritones with a profound sense of admiration, because I know that
they can achieve colors with their voice, that
I can only dream of. So, as we proceed with today's video, I want to state again, as
I have many times before that discussing voice
types has limited value within popular culture music. Contemporary genres typically celebrate diversity and unique
sounds, and you should never allow your anatomy to limit the
type of music that you sing. With this said, let's take a closer look at the baritone `voice. - [Announcer] ♫ Essentials. - One of the challenges we face when seeking to define the baritone voice is the many and varied vocal ranges that can be found in the literature. While doing the research for this video, I came across a number of
different vocal ranges. For example, Professor Inge Titze presents the following graph in
Principles of Voice Production showing the baritone voice range to be approximately between G2 and G4. The next graphic is taken from the Thurman and Welch text Bodymind and Voice. You'll notice that this graph suggests that the baritone vocal
range is from F2 to A4, with a potential G5 in falsetto. And this third graph, found
in Dr. Matthew Edwards' book, So You Want to Sing Rock 'n' Roll has the baritone singing
from B2 up to a G4. So, here we have three
different vocal classifications from three leading authors. Who's right? Well, they all are, and that's the point. You can't lock the human
voice into a rigid system. For example, when discussing
male vocal ranges, Dr. Edwards writes,
"Rock voices are unique; they do not fit into a box.
In rock 'n' roll there are basses and baritones with both bright and warm voices and tenors
with dark gravely voices. There are male and female
singers whose ranges defy traditional descriptions." Edwards, then, goes on to
make this critical point, "Unless you are attempting
to make a career covering the songs of other artists, you should not worry about
labeling your vocal range. Instead, focus on developing your voice to its full potential and writing songs that work for you." - [Announcer] Sound check. - Having a baritone voice doesn't make you a second class citizen, and it certainly doesn't make
you a second rate singer. But I know that's easier said than done when it seems that the
general public is fascinated with the higher voice
classification of tenor. And here's the thing, if you want to be real rock 'n' roll, go against the flow. Don't subscribe to what the masses tell they want or need. I dare you to name one breakthrough artist who built a career on sounding just like the next guy or girl. My advice, stop fighting your anatomy. Embrace who you are. If you're a baritone,
then explore your biology and all that it has to
give to to its fullest. If that means being
and sounding different, good, different is good. Secondly, stop fixating on range. Instead, focus on developing
the many other areas that lead to quality vocals. Workshop your dynamics, timbre, and style. More importantly, developing
the skill of storytelling. Great singing is not about perfect notes, and it's certainly not
at all about high notes. No, excellent contemporary vocals are driven by the
narrative and the capacity of the singer to communicate the story. Thirdly, don't hesitate to transpose songs into more comfortable keys. I'm constantly changing the
keys of songs here in the studio for my private singing students. Some of you might even be shocked to learn that many of your favorite artists are doing the very same thing. More often than not, the key
you listen to on recordings is performed live three
to four steps down. That's right, most of
today's touring artists have recorded keys and performance keys. It's not about cheating, it's just smart. And if they can do it, so can you. And if singing other artist's songs continues to prove too
difficult regardless of key, then I encourage you to start
writing your own material. I know this can sound a little
scary, but it needn't be. Everyone can learn to write songs, and if you don't play an instrument, collaborate with a friend who does. Some of the best songs have been written by two people collaborating, with one writing the music and the
other writing the lyrics. At the end of the day, your voice type should not, and is not, a hurdle to your learning to sing journey. Baritone, tenor, base, it doesn't matter. I encourage you to stop fixating on the classification, and just sing. Be the best singer you can possibly be. I've put together a video playlist for you to watch after this video. The playlist will cover
voice classification a little further, how to
find your comfortable range, as well as a couple of
other instructional videos I think you'll find helpful as you embrace your full vocal potential. Here at Voice Essentials, everybody sings, not just tenors and sopranos. I hope today's video has encouraged you, especially if your anatomy classifies your voice as baritone. If you've enjoyed today's video, then I'd invite you to
subscribe to my channel. I release new videos just
like this one once a week, and with nearly 300 Learn to Sing videos already on the channel, I
know you'll learn something as you continue your
learning to sing journey. I hope to see you again soon. I'm Dr. Dan. Sing Well.
